Alliedassault - View Single Post - Chechen Terrorists Taken Out of Theater, Doctors Remove Dead

ninty · 10-26-2002, 08:59 AM

Is it still a success?

[quote:69dc0]MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Sixty-seven hostages died during an operation to free hundreds of captives held by Chechen rebels in a Moscow theatre and two hostage-takers remain at large, Russian officials have said.

Thirty-four hostage-takers were also killed after Russian special forces, the Federal Security Service, stormed the building at 5.30 a.m. local time on Saturday after the Chechens began executing those being held, Russia's deputy interior minister, Vladimir Vasilyev, said.

Movsar Barayev, the ringleader of the Chechen group, is confirmed dead and at least two other members of it are being interrogated.

"We are grieving with those close to the 67 hostages who were lost. We couldn't save them... We saved more than 750 people," Vasilyev said outside the theatre, adding that there were no children among the dead.

But he said: "Two of the terrorists escaped and we are combing the territory. They are hiding themselves in houses."

"Up to the last moment -- even now -- we were afraid there could be a major explosion. This we managed to prevent," he said. "These people we're dealing with are real scoundrels. They were constantly giving their threats. They were threatening to start executions which they did. They threated to explode the building."

Refering to reports that a gas injected into the theatres by special forces ahead of the operation may have contributed to the deaths of some of the hostages, he said: "This is not so.

"Of those who died, some were through stress, hunger and lack of medical supplies that they needed."

All 75 foreign nationals, from 14 countries including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia, Britain and the United States, are alive, diplomats said after the raid that ended the three-day siege.

Russia's Interfax reported two of the hostages were killed in the hours before the activity intensified, and two others -- a woman and man -- suffered head injuries, a rescue official told the news agency.

About 20 bodies were seen being removed from the building in the heart of the capital.

Some of the victims are feared to have choked to death on their own vomit after special forces are reported to have used sleeping gas before raiding the building, The Associated Press reported.

Many of the freed hostages appeared unconscious or in shock as they were loaded into waiting buses and ambulances.

It was later reported that about 40 former hostages have been taken to hospital in a "poor condition" after suffering from gas poisoning.

State Security chief Nikolai Patrushev had earlier claimed all the remaining Chechens had been taken captive. "None of them managed to get away," he was reported by Reuters as saying.

Pictures taken inside the theatre by Russian television showed some bodies slumped in theatre seats or with their heads down on their arms as if they had passed out. Bombs lay on seats or were still strapped to some of the women hostage-takers' waists.

The building had reportedly been booby-trapped with mines laid at entrances and exits and a huge bomb was said to have been placed in the centre of the theatre.

Some explosions were heard as special forces deactivated the devices or carried out controlled explosions.

Russia's deputy interior minister, Vladimir Vasilyev, said the Russian forces were able to save many lives by preventing the explosion of the building.

The end of the drama, which brought the distant Chechen war to the heart of Moscow, will be a relief to President Vladimir Putin whose own position was being tested by the crisis.

He called at one of Moscow's top hospitals to visit survivors before being whisked away in his motorcade.

A senior envoy to Chechnya's rebel president on Saturday condemned the siege by Chechen guerrillas.

Akhmed Zakayev, an envoy of elected Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov, told Reuters: "We cannot come down to the level of our opponents, targetting innocent people," alluding to alleged human rights abuses by Russian forces in Chechnya.

He added: "We offer our condolences to the families of people that died in these dramatic events."

The standoff, which had begun on Wednesday, had been a test for Russian President Vladimir Putin who had refused to give in to the rebel hostage-takers' demands that Russian military forces be removed from the breakaway republic.
[/quote:69dc0]

67 Hostages died. Thats quite a bit.

	(#15)
ninty is Offline Major General Posts: 12,683 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Calgary	10-26-2002, 08:59 AM Is it still a success? [quote:69dc0]MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Sixty-seven hostages died during an operation to free hundreds of captives held by Chechen rebels in a Moscow theatre and two hostage-takers remain at large, Russian officials have said. Thirty-four hostage-takers were also killed after Russian special forces, the Federal Security Service, stormed the building at 5.30 a.m. local time on Saturday after the Chechens began executing those being held, Russia's deputy interior minister, Vladimir Vasilyev, said. Movsar Barayev, the ringleader of the Chechen group, is confirmed dead and at least two other members of it are being interrogated. "We are grieving with those close to the 67 hostages who were lost. We couldn't save them... We saved more than 750 people," Vasilyev said outside the theatre, adding that there were no children among the dead. But he said: "Two of the terrorists escaped and we are combing the territory. They are hiding themselves in houses." "Up to the last moment -- even now -- we were afraid there could be a major explosion. This we managed to prevent," he said. "These people we're dealing with are real scoundrels. They were constantly giving their threats. They were threatening to start executions which they did. They threated to explode the building." Refering to reports that a gas injected into the theatres by special forces ahead of the operation may have contributed to the deaths of some of the hostages, he said: "This is not so. "Of those who died, some were through stress, hunger and lack of medical supplies that they needed." All 75 foreign nationals, from 14 countries including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia, Britain and the United States, are alive, diplomats said after the raid that ended the three-day siege. Russia's Interfax reported two of the hostages were killed in the hours before the activity intensified, and two others -- a woman and man -- suffered head injuries, a rescue official told the news agency. About 20 bodies were seen being removed from the building in the heart of the capital. Some of the victims are feared to have choked to death on their own vomit after special forces are reported to have used sleeping gas before raiding the building, The Associated Press reported. Many of the freed hostages appeared unconscious or in shock as they were loaded into waiting buses and ambulances. It was later reported that about 40 former hostages have been taken to hospital in a "poor condition" after suffering from gas poisoning. State Security chief Nikolai Patrushev had earlier claimed all the remaining Chechens had been taken captive. "None of them managed to get away," he was reported by Reuters as saying. Pictures taken inside the theatre by Russian television showed some bodies slumped in theatre seats or with their heads down on their arms as if they had passed out. Bombs lay on seats or were still strapped to some of the women hostage-takers' waists. The building had reportedly been booby-trapped with mines laid at entrances and exits and a huge bomb was said to have been placed in the centre of the theatre. Some explosions were heard as special forces deactivated the devices or carried out controlled explosions. Russia's deputy interior minister, Vladimir Vasilyev, said the Russian forces were able to save many lives by preventing the explosion of the building. The end of the drama, which brought the distant Chechen war to the heart of Moscow, will be a relief to President Vladimir Putin whose own position was being tested by the crisis. He called at one of Moscow's top hospitals to visit survivors before being whisked away in his motorcade. A senior envoy to Chechnya's rebel president on Saturday condemned the siege by Chechen guerrillas. Akhmed Zakayev, an envoy of elected Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov, told Reuters: "We cannot come down to the level of our opponents, targetting innocent people," alluding to alleged human rights abuses by Russian forces in Chechnya. He added: "We offer our condolences to the families of people that died in these dramatic events." The standoff, which had begun on Wednesday, had been a test for Russian President Vladimir Putin who had refused to give in to the rebel hostage-takers' demands that Russian military forces be removed from the breakaway republic. [/quote:69dc0] 67 Hostages died. Thats quite a bit.